K. Kelly Nottage

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Leaders in Law endorses K. Kelly Nottage as our exclusively recommended Company Law expert in the Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with K. Kelly, please use the contact information provided above.

Mr. Nottage is a Barrister-at-law and a founding Partner of Sovereign Advisors Bahamas. Prior to forming Sovereign Advisors, Mr. Nottage was manager and head of the LATAM Desk at one of the oldest trust companies in The Bahamas. During his six years as a trust officer and manager, Mr. Nottage was responsible for the structuring and administration of trusts, foundations, funds and other fiduciary products primarily for Latin American clients. Drawing from his legal training and practical experiences applying the law to real life situations, Mr. Nottage is well versed in financial and corporate services law. He advises Family Offices, Trustees, Broker Dealers, Developers and Others on licensing, tax, operational substance and structuring matters within The Bahamas. 

Mr. Nottage currently serves as a Director of the Central Bank of the Bahamas and he is a former Director of Bahamasair Holdings Ltd., the national airline of The Bahamas. He also serves as the CEO and Director of Sovereign Advisors & Partners Limited, a regulated and licensed multi family office and financial services firm.  

 A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Canada and Worcester College, University of Oxford, Mr. Nottage began his legal career as a pupil and Associate at a top tier Bahamian law firm where he practiced in its Litigation, Banking and Trust practice groups. He is admitted to the Bars of England and Wales and The Bahamas and he is a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. 

Education

  • Lakefield College School; Ontario, Canada, 2000
  • University of Western Ontario, (BA Hons. Political Science & Philosophy) 2004
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (BA Theology) 2006
  • Oxford Brookes University (PGDip Law) 2007
  • BPP Law School, (Bar Vocational Course – Very Competent) 2008
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (MA Theology) 2017

Admissions

  • The Bahamas, 2008
  • England and Wales, 2008

Memberships

  • Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • The Bahamas Bar Association
  • International Bar Association

Firm Description:

Mission Statement

At Sovereign Advisors we are dedicated to providing you, the Client, with incomparable service aimed at directly meeting your needs and helping you to achieve your ultimate goal(s). In this way we are “Service Driven”.

What does it mean to be ‘Service Driven’?

Our service driven approach means that we put a premium on understanding the Client’s end goals and offer the best solutions tailored to each Client’s specific needs. We do not believe that ours is a “one size fits all” business and eschew cookie cutter solutions to problems. While the root of a problem may be common to many Clients, our experience has taught us that its effects on each are almost never exactly the same. Our small size, experience, and network of service partners allow us the flexibility and agility to offer high value tailored solutions in a timely and cost effective manner. This is the essence of being “Service Driven”.

How are we different?

We value being a consistent and reliable source of advice and service to our Clients. We will never take on a project we are ill equipped to handle. Our size allows for us to be nimble and flexible in service and our relationships allow us to tap into high quality professional expertise in areas that we may not have specific competency. We do not claim to have a monopoly on solutions but we do have the relationships, experience and competency to create and implement the best ones for you. If ever there were a matter that was outside of the scope of our particular expertise we are happy to refer you to and/or assemble and work with the best team possible to meet your goals and needs. This is how being service driven differentiates us.

History

Sovereign Advisors was founded to provide families, small businesses and individuals with the hands on, time valued services and assistance that larger, less nimble and volume driven service providers are unable to provide. With combined experience in excess of 20 years in legal practice, financial services and corporate structuring, we found that there was an appetite for an egoless, service driven, and solution focused approach to legal advice and financial and corporate services in The Bahamas. Our clients are individuals, family offices, financial service providers, and small businesses that place a premium on relationships, integrity and quality solutions. 

In a short period of time we have partnered and established relationships with like-minded service providers to provide a broad spectrum of services to our clientele. Through Twenty One  Corporate Management, an independent and licensed corporate service provider, we cater to clients who require personalized asset and corporate structuring services.  As we grow and develop, we will seek to add further strategic partnerships and relationships in order to ensure that the best products and services are available to our clients. 

Trusts & Foundations

Planning to pass on wealth to the next generation can be a very personal and intimate process. It is imperative that your advisors have a firm understanding of your needs and goals in this regard. At Sovereign we know this process well and appreciate its intricacies. We advise local and international clients on this process and have extensive experience working across borders and jurisdictions with other client advisors to obtain the best solutions available.

Our team have the unique advantage of having both legal and practical experience in the formation and administration of trusts and other fiduciary products such as foundations, private trust companies, Bahamas Executive Entities and others. Having spent years administering these products, we understand the many dynamics at play and as a result we are better placed than most to advise Trustees, Settlors, Beneficiaries and Protectors on all aspects of the creation and administration of trusts, including:

  • Asset Protection
  • Distributions & Accounting
  • Investment powers & oversight
  • Exercise of powers
  • Drafting of Deeds of Release & Indemnity
  • Drafting of Trustee Resolutions & Minutes
  • Deeds of Amendment & Variation

Protector Advice & Services

A Protector of a Trust plays a unique role in the trust’s administration in that they are often a trusted party whose advice is relied upon by the Settlor, Beneficiary and Trustee alike. As such, it’s important that Protectors have solid independent legal advice in the exercise of their duties under the trust. Our team’s experience with administering trusts holds us in good stead when we advise Protectors on the exercise of their powers under a Trust. We advise Protectors on matters including:

  • Powers of Distribution
  • Powers of Investment
  • Powers to add/remove Beneficiaries
  • Powers to loan proceeds from Trust

Additionally, we provide a select few clients with professional services for those looking for an experienced and independent Protector with integrity.

 

K. Kelly Nottage

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Leaders in Law endorses K. Kelly Nottage as our exclusively recommended Company Formation expert in the Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with K. Kelly, please use the contact information provided above.

Mr. Nottage is a Barrister-at-law and a founding Partner of Sovereign Advisors Bahamas. Prior to forming Sovereign Advisors, Mr. Nottage was manager and head of the LATAM Desk at one of the oldest trust companies in The Bahamas. During his six years as a trust officer and manager, Mr. Nottage was responsible for the structuring and administration of trusts, foundations, funds and other fiduciary products primarily for Latin American clients. Drawing from his legal training and practical experiences applying the law to real life situations, Mr. Nottage is well versed in financial and corporate services law. He advises Family Offices, Trustees, Broker Dealers, Developers and Others on licensing, tax, operational substance and structuring matters within The Bahamas. 

Mr. Nottage currently serves as a Director of the Central Bank of the Bahamas and he is a former Director of Bahamasair Holdings Ltd., the national airline of The Bahamas. He also serves as the CEO and Director of Sovereign Advisors & Partners Limited, a regulated and licensed multi family office and financial services firm.  

 A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Canada and Worcester College, University of Oxford, Mr. Nottage began his legal career as a pupil and Associate at a top tier Bahamian law firm where he practiced in its Litigation, Banking and Trust practice groups. He is admitted to the Bars of England and Wales and The Bahamas and he is a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. 

Education

  • Lakefield College School; Ontario, Canada, 2000
  • University of Western Ontario, (BA Hons. Political Science & Philosophy) 2004
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (BA Theology) 2006
  • Oxford Brookes University (PGDip Law) 2007
  • BPP Law School, (Bar Vocational Course – Very Competent) 2008
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (MA Theology) 2017

Admissions

  • The Bahamas, 2008
  • England and Wales, 2008

Memberships

  • Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • The Bahamas Bar Association
  • International Bar Association

Firm Description:

Mission Statement

At Sovereign Advisors we are dedicated to providing you, the Client, with incomparable service aimed at directly meeting your needs and helping you to achieve your ultimate goal(s). In this way we are “Service Driven”.

What does it mean to be ‘Service Driven’?

Our service driven approach means that we put a premium on understanding the Client’s end goals and offer the best solutions tailored to each Client’s specific needs. We do not believe that ours is a “one size fits all” business and eschew cookie cutter solutions to problems. While the root of a problem may be common to many Clients, our experience has taught us that its effects on each are almost never exactly the same. Our small size, experience, and network of service partners allow us the flexibility and agility to offer high value tailored solutions in a timely and cost effective manner. This is the essence of being “Service Driven”.

How are we different?

We value being a consistent and reliable source of advice and service to our Clients. We will never take on a project we are ill equipped to handle. Our size allows for us to be nimble and flexible in service and our relationships allow us to tap into high quality professional expertise in areas that we may not have specific competency. We do not claim to have a monopoly on solutions but we do have the relationships, experience and competency to create and implement the best ones for you. If ever there were a matter that was outside of the scope of our particular expertise we are happy to refer you to and/or assemble and work with the best team possible to meet your goals and needs. This is how being service driven differentiates us.

History

Sovereign Advisors was founded to provide families, small businesses and individuals with the hands on, time valued services and assistance that larger, less nimble and volume driven service providers are unable to provide. With combined experience in excess of 20 years in legal practice, financial services and corporate structuring, we found that there was an appetite for an egoless, service driven, and solution focused approach to legal advice and financial and corporate services in The Bahamas. Our clients are individuals, family offices, financial service providers, and small businesses that place a premium on relationships, integrity and quality solutions. 

In a short period of time we have partnered and established relationships with like-minded service providers to provide a broad spectrum of services to our clientele. Through Twenty One  Corporate Management, an independent and licensed corporate service provider, we cater to clients who require personalized asset and corporate structuring services.  As we grow and develop, we will seek to add further strategic partnerships and relationships in order to ensure that the best products and services are available to our clients. 

Entreprenuers, Business Establishment & Regulation

At Sovereign, we assist both local and foreign entrepreneurs and established businesses navigate the regulatory hurdles in setting up and operating a business in the Bahamas. These services and advice include:

Foreign Investors:

  • Bahamas Investment Authority Approval
  • Central Bank of the Bahamas designation
  • Department of Immigration approvals and permits

Local Operators:

  • National Insurance Board – Registration, Monthly filing and Monthly payments
  • Business License – Obtaining New Business License and License Renewals
  • Value Added Tax – Registration and Related Tax Advice

 

K. Kelly Nottage

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Leaders in Law endorses K. Kelly Nottage as our exclusively recommended Estate & Trust Law expert in the Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with K. Kelly, please use the contact information provided above.

Mr. Nottage is a Barrister-at-law and a founding Partner of Sovereign Advisors Bahamas. Prior to forming Sovereign Advisors, Mr. Nottage was manager and head of the LATAM Desk at one of the oldest trust companies in The Bahamas. During his six years as a trust officer and manager, Mr. Nottage was responsible for the structuring and administration of trusts, foundations, funds and other fiduciary products primarily for Latin American clients. Drawing from his legal training and practical experiences applying the law to real life situations, Mr. Nottage is well versed in financial and corporate services law. He advises Family Offices, Trustees, Broker Dealers, Developers and Others on licensing, tax, operational substance and structuring matters within The Bahamas. 

Mr. Nottage currently serves as a Director of the Central Bank of the Bahamas and he is a former Director of Bahamasair Holdings Ltd., the national airline of The Bahamas. He also serves as the CEO and Director of Sovereign Advisors & Partners Limited, a regulated and licensed multi family office and financial services firm.  

 A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Canada and Worcester College, University of Oxford, Mr. Nottage began his legal career as a pupil and Associate at a top tier Bahamian law firm where he practiced in its Litigation, Banking and Trust practice groups. He is admitted to the Bars of England and Wales and The Bahamas and he is a member of the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple. 

Education

  • Lakefield College School; Ontario, Canada, 2000
  • University of Western Ontario, (BA Hons. Political Science & Philosophy) 2004
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (BA Theology) 2006
  • Oxford Brookes University (PGDip Law) 2007
  • BPP Law School, (Bar Vocational Course – Very Competent) 2008
  • Worcester College, University of Oxford (MA Theology) 2017

Admissions

  • The Bahamas, 2008
  • England and Wales, 2008

Memberships

  • Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • The Bahamas Bar Association
  • International Bar Association

Firm Description:

Mission Statement

At Sovereign Advisors we are dedicated to providing you, the Client, with incomparable service aimed at directly meeting your needs and helping you to achieve your ultimate goal(s). In this way we are “Service Driven”.

What does it mean to be ‘Service Driven’?

Our service driven approach means that we put a premium on understanding the Client’s end goals and offer the best solutions tailored to each Client’s specific needs. We do not believe that ours is a “one size fits all” business and eschew cookie cutter solutions to problems. While the root of a problem may be common to many Clients, our experience has taught us that its effects on each are almost never exactly the same. Our small size, experience, and network of service partners allow us the flexibility and agility to offer high value tailored solutions in a timely and cost effective manner. This is the essence of being “Service Driven”.

How are we different?

We value being a consistent and reliable source of advice and service to our Clients. We will never take on a project we are ill equipped to handle. Our size allows for us to be nimble and flexible in service and our relationships allow us to tap into high quality professional expertise in areas that we may not have specific competency. We do not claim to have a monopoly on solutions but we do have the relationships, experience and competency to create and implement the best ones for you. If ever there were a matter that was outside of the scope of our particular expertise we are happy to refer you to and/or assemble and work with the best team possible to meet your goals and needs. This is how being service driven differentiates us.

History

Sovereign Advisors was founded to provide families, small businesses and individuals with the hands on, time valued services and assistance that larger, less nimble and volume driven service providers are unable to provide. With combined experience in excess of 20 years in legal practice, financial services and corporate structuring, we found that there was an appetite for an egoless, service driven, and solution focused approach to legal advice and financial and corporate services in The Bahamas. Our clients are individuals, family offices, financial service providers, and small businesses that place a premium on relationships, integrity and quality solutions. 

In a short period of time we have partnered and established relationships with like-minded service providers to provide a broad spectrum of services to our clientele. Through Twenty One  Corporate Management, an independent and licensed corporate service provider, we cater to clients who require personalized asset and corporate structuring services.  As we grow and develop, we will seek to add further strategic partnerships and relationships in order to ensure that the best products and services are available to our clients. 

Trusts & Foundations

Planning to pass on wealth to the next generation can be a very personal and intimate process. It is imperative that your advisors have a firm understanding of your needs and goals in this regard. At Sovereign we know this process well and appreciate its intricacies. We advise local and international clients on this process and have extensive experience working across borders and jurisdictions with other client advisors to obtain the best solutions available.

Our team have the unique advantage of having both legal and practical experience in the formation and administration of trusts and other fiduciary products such as foundations, private trust companies, Bahamas Executive Entities and others. Having spent years administering these products, we understand the many dynamics at play and as a result we are better placed than most to advise Trustees, Settlors, Beneficiaries and Protectors on all aspects of the creation and administration of trusts, including:

  • Asset Protection
  • Distributions & Accounting
  • Investment powers & oversight
  • Exercise of powers
  • Drafting of Deeds of Release & Indemnity
  • Drafting of Trustee Resolutions & Minutes
  • Deeds of Amendment & Variation

Protector Advice & Services

A Protector of a Trust plays a unique role in the trust’s administration in that they are often a trusted party whose advice is relied upon by the Settlor, Beneficiary and Trustee alike. As such, it’s important that Protectors have solid independent legal advice in the exercise of their duties under the trust. Our team’s experience with administering trusts holds us in good stead when we advise Protectors on the exercise of their powers under a Trust. We advise Protectors on matters including:

  • Powers of Distribution
  • Powers of Investment
  • Powers to add/remove Beneficiaries
  • Powers to loan proceeds from Trust

Additionally, we provide a select few clients with professional services for those looking for an experienced and independent Protector with integrity.

 

Jacy Whittaker

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Leaders in Law endorses Jacy Whittaker as our exclusively recommended Commercial Litigation Law expert in the Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with Jacy, please use the contact information provided above.

Practice Areas

  • Litigation
  • Maritime
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Trust Litigation
  • Asset Tracing
  • Enforcement of Foreign Judgments
  • Divorce, Immigration
  • Estate Disputes

Languages

English (fluent), Spanish (Conversational), Dutch (Conversational)

Partner

For Jacy Whittaker, the key to winning cases is being abundantly overprepared. As an attorney, Jacy gears up for war on everything. The litigator never walks into a courtroom without more research, more evidence, and more potential angles than warranted. This over-preparation allows him to think on his feet, building confidence—and the court’s regard—through each winning application, writ, submission, and hearing. Rather than being exhausted by sheer volume, the youthful lawyer becomes even more invigorated. After all, he lives to argue—and win.

Jacy got his start in 2000, working as a legal assistant for Frederick R.M. Smith, QC, a legendary attorney in the Bahamas. Mr. Smith had been intrigued by a brand of intelligence that has since served Jacy well in the courtroom. Even then, a talent analysis showed Jacy’s strengths as a future litigator.

Jacy enrolled in law school (University of Buckingham, 2001 and later Inns of Court School of Law, 2005), then joined Callenders & Co., where he worked side-by-side with Mr. Smith on multiple matters—including one of the Bahamas’ most monumental matters. Six years later, he and partner Arthur K. Parris, Jr left to form ParrisWhittaker. Jacy has since added admiralty law, probate law, commercial transactions, corporate structuring, restructuring, and formation to his list of capabilities, He acts as local counsel for a handful of Fortune 500 companies and numerous international companies.

In addition to his legal practice, Jacy is one of the most active members of the Grand Bahama business community. He is/was a director, advisor, or committee chair for numerous boards, including the Bahamas Bar Council, Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International, Freeport Law Society, and Salvation Army. He is also a member of the Bahamas Bar Association and a member of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Bar.

Firm Description:

ParrisWhittaker is a local law firm founded by two top lawyers: Arthur Parris, real estate/commercial expert, and Jacy Whittaker, a litigator with extraordinary energy and an outstanding track record. With the addition of partner Kenra Parris-Whittaker, the firm has a combined 60 years of experience, and brings a new level of energy and commitment to the Bahamian legal market.

Commercial & Trust Litigation

Litigation in the Bahamas can feel like a game.

Win the game, and enforce your agreements, you collect your debts, and get your attorneys’ fees covered in the process. But to do so, you need a lawyer who is well versed in the rules, and has the willingness, talent, and wherewithal to strategize intelligently—and over-prepare.

That’s why you should bring the matter to us. We are in the courts on a weekly basis, and there’s nothing we love more than the rhythm, energy, and thrill of the fighting for our clients. We have experience with virtually all the rules of law, and excel in research, oral argument, and thinking on our feet. We’re so experienced that we can frequently offer beneficial billing arrangements driven by an informed estimate of the time and resources required to prevail.

In short, we love fighting for clients—and we love to win. ParrisWhittaker’s litigation services include, but are not limited to, :

  • Vigorous debt collection and recovery
  • Rigorous enforcement of contracts
  • Negotiation of favorable settlements
  • Value-driven fixed billing arrangement
  • Enforcement and Registration of Foreign Judgments
  • Shareholder Disputes
  • Contested Probates
  • Defamation
  • Admiralty & Maritime matters
  • Employee & Labour Issues
  • Administrative Issues
  • Personal Injury
  • Trademark disputes
  • Condominium Association & Homeowners Association matters
  • Fatal Accidents
  • Construction Disputes & Litigation
  • Insurance & Reinsurance

If you’d like to enforce your rights and put the court system on your side, schedule a consultation with ParrisWhittaker today.

 

Aliya G. Allen

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Leaders in Law endorses Aliya G. Allen as our exclusively recommended Banking & Finance Law expert in Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with Aliya please use the contact information provided above.

Aliya Allen is a Partner in the firm’s Financial Services, Private Client, Trusts and Estates Practice Groups. Aliya re-joined Graham Thompson in February 2016, following four years as CEO and Executive Director of the Bahamas Financial Services Board.

Aliya’s practice is primarily focused in banking, investment funds, securities, securitisation and capital markets, technology, FinTech, blockchain and digital assets and regulatory matters such as FATCA, CRS, AML/CFT. She has played a leading role in the development and revision of industry defining legislation including the Investment Funds Act, 2019, the Investment Condominium (ICON) Act and in crafting and promoting policy initiatives on FinTech, Blockchain and digital assets.

Recent Engagements Include

  • Advising a global investment manager on the impact of economic substance requirements on its operations.
  • Acting for a global bank in a large-scale independent AML/CFT compliance audit.
  • Acting for a global bank with AUM in excess of $300 million undertaking a significant regulatory and compliance audit for the purposes of a global compliance project.
  • Acting for a syndicate of lenders in a $100 million facility to a utility company taking security over assets and revenue streams.
  • Acting for a major global bank as lead arranger in a billion-dollar facility to a company with global oil and gas assets taking security over local assets.
  • Acting for one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges by daily trading volume in the world in connection with the issuance of a stable coin backed by fiat currency including regulatory interaction and fiduciary structuring.
  • Advising one of the largest technology investment companies in the world valued at over 100 billion in connection with Bahamas cross border securities issues.
  • Advising a banking conglomerate in connection with the issuance via its Bahamas holding company of over 100 million in debt securities.
  • Structuring a crypto-focused investment fund for a significant asset manager.
  • Advising one of the major operating companies of one of the largest shipping and logistics companies in the world on the Bahamas’ economic substance requirements.

Practice Areas

Education

  • LL.B (Hons) University of Buckingham, UK
  • Bar Vocational Course, Manchester University, UK

Admissions

  • Bar of England and Wales
  • The Bahamas Bar

Awards

  • Recognized by IFLR 1000 – Guide to the World’s Leading Financial Law Firms –  as a 2020 “Notable Practitioner”.
  • Citywealth IFC Power Women Top 200, 2016, for outstanding contributions to the financial services industry.

Publications

Membership

  • The Bahamas Bar Association
  • The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn

Firm Description:

GrahamThompson (GT) prides itself on its unique combination of expert legal skills and real-world experience in working out effective solutions to complex problems.  With 70 years of continuous history and a first-rate balance between seasoned practitioners and dynamic young lawyers, GT is excellence-driven in every way.

Producing and sustaining clientele drawn locally and from across five continents is the focal point of the Firm’s efforts. Integrity, hard work, understanding the “bigger picture” that frames the specific legal needs of clients, creativity, rigorous ethical restraint in the charging of fees, and uncompromising loyalty to the client, are key ingredients of the GT ethos.

The Firm, well known as the largest commercial law firm in the Bahamas, has successfully expanded from its main downtown Nassau location in recent years to better serve its broad range of corporate and private clients. In 2000, the Freeport, Grand Bahama office was opened, followed by the launching of licensed affiliate GTC Corporate Services in 2001, and the Lyford Cay, New Providence office in 2011.  In December 2012, GT expanded to Providenciales, in The Turks and Caicos Islands, where it already enjoys a reputation as one of the leading firms for civil and commercial litigation, and more recently, for transactional real estate matters.

The Firm has an enviable reputation both domestically and globally in a variety of important legal disciplines. Our attorneys are sought after by leaders in the real property, resort development, banking and capital markets, and Domestic tax and Regulatory sectors. We are highly regarded for our expertise in trust and estate planning, commercial matters, civil litigation, family law, securitization, employment and immigration matters.

The Firm is consistently ranked a tier one law firm by the leading international ratings publications, including CHAMBERS AND PARTNERS, IFLR 1000, and CITY WEALTH LEADERS LIST, among others.

Unique among law firms, GT has all through the years made notable contributions to high public service. GT’s former Partners have played critical roles in the Bahamas’ judiciary including three of the nation’s past Attorneys-General, the former Chief Justice, several Justices of the Bahamas Supreme Court, and Court of Appeal, and the Chairman of the Judicial Review Commission. Other Partners have served the Bahamas government as Senators, a Minister of Labour & Housing, a Gaming Board Chairman, a Water & Sewerage Corporation Chairman, a Broadcasting Corporation Chairman, and the Vice-Chair of the College of The Bahamas. Presently, our Partners serve as Chairman of the National Insurance Appeals Tribunal, Deputy Chair of the National Health Insurance Authority and as Directors of the Central Bank of The Bahamas and the National Insurance Board.  This record of service to successive governments and the judiciary is wholly without parallel in the history of the legal profession of the Bahamas.

 

Frederick R.M. Smith, QC

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Leaders in Law endorses Frederick R.M. Smith as our exclusively recommended Constitutional Law expert in Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with Frederick please use the contact information provided above.

The aggrieved could not ask for a better friend, nor offenders a tougher opponent, than Frederick R.M. Smith, QC. Mr. Smith holds a singular place in Bahamian law, a legendary thinker and prolific human rights advocate whose articulate contributions help to shape the national conversation. He is as outspoken a proponent for the rule of law in for-profit commercial enterprise as he is a staunch defender of human, environmental and animal rights.

Examples of his versatility abound. While Mr. Smith has a broad experience in transactional matters under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement, his fame lies in the application of law to environmental and human rights. He fights with equal ardor for the migrant falsely imprisoned as for the utility earning guaranteed profits. As the director of legal affairs for the environmental advocacy group Save The Bays, he has filed actions against large developers for violating the law, showing disregard for the Bahamian environment, displacing cultures, mangroves, and wetlands with equal lack of respect and destroying the very marine and land resources that attracted them to The Bahamas. At the same time, Mr. Smith is the first to defend the honourable foreign investor who demonstrates regard which The Bahamas and its resources deserve.

His prowess as a litigator has catapulted him into the spotlight in controversial matters and his ability to pull together a team to put forth a winning argument in the face of steep challenges affirms his extraordinary skill in preparation and his speed of thought on his feet in the courtroom.

Frederick R.M. Smith, QC is the Senior Partner of Callenders and the Managing Partner of the Freeport, Chambers.  He has an active civil trial and appellate litigation practice in Human Rights, Environmental, Constitutional, Regulatory and Commercial matters. Mr. Smith also specializes in transactional matters in Freeport under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement.

Practice Areas

  • Human Rights & Constitutional Law
  • Immigration
  • Environment
  • Appellate Law (including Privy Council)
  • Transactional Law (in Freeport under the Hawksbill Creek Agreement)
  • Commercial & Civil Litigation
  • Arbitration & Mediation
  • Judicial Review
  • Costs & Recoveries

Education

He was born in Haiti where he had his primary education. His secondary education was in Nassau and at boarding school in Giggleswick in the North of England. He graduated from The College of Law in London, England and was called to The Bars of England & Wales (Lincoln’s Inn) and The Bahamas in 1977.

Firm Description:

“Timeless ideals of personal attention delivered in a lightning-fast, highly connected new world climate.”

For more than a century Callenders has stood at the forefront of major constitutional cases and at the heart of The Bahamas’ economic, banking, real estate, investment, development and business centre.

Its expertise in insolvency, civil litigation, shipping, aviation and human rights have earned an international reputation for the firm’s standards and achievements on behalf of clients.

Our History

Nassau was a small, bustling seaport with a need for lawyers to handle a growing number of contracts when young W.E.S. Callender hung out his shingle in 1903. As the energetic lawyer’s reputation spread, the firm grew. Many of the cases it handled set precedent in the jurisdiction. Today, Callenders, with offices in Nassau, Lyford Cay and Grand Bahama, is a vital partner in a vibrant economy.

Though protocols and procedures have changed since the country’s longest serving law firm opened its doors, one thing remains constant: Callenders’ commitment to excellence through personal service to every client.

Recipient of international awards including being ranked the nation’s best law firm in 2012,  the firm provides a complete range of legal services including corporate, real estate, litigation, human rights, telecommunications, technology, insolvency and investment approvals. Its proficiency and experience in maritime and aviation matters are unquestioned. Callenders’ attorneys have addressed the United Nations and the Privy Council. The firm was the first in The Bahamas to have two attorneys appointed Queen’s Counsel, the highest honour of the legal profession in the Commonwealth.

“be serving its second century of clients with the same personal attention on which it was founded; earning trust by promptness, professionalism and performance.”

Every Callenders attorney pledges

  • Accessibility
  • Timely and Thorough Research and Documentation Delivery
  • A Collaborative Approach
  • Personal Professional Attention

 

Emanuel M. Alexiou

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Leaders in Law endorses Emanuel M. Alexiou as our exclusively recommended M&A Law expert in Bahamas. If you wish to get in touch with Emanuel please use the contact information provided above.

Emanuel M. Alexiou is the founding partner of the firm. His primary area of practice is commercial transactional work and private client matters. Mr. Alexiou’s expertise is in banking, trusts, and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Alexiou also has significant experience in liquidations and insolvency practice. Mr. Alexiou completed his legal studies at the College of Law, and Lincoln’s Inn in London in 1973. He obtained his undergraduate degree in 1968 from Case Western University, Ohio, and a graduate degree from the University of Toronto.

He was admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Bar of England and Wales in 1973, and the Turks and Caicos Bar in 1974. In addition to maintaining his legal practice Mr. Alexiou is a prolific local businessman, and has been honoured as part of “The Bahamian Project” at the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas.

Firm Description:

Alexiou, Knowles & Co. places great emphasis on maintaining the highest professional standards and offering skilled and efficient business and legal services, specialization in the areas of residential and commercial real estate, business, banking, corporate, insurance, labour, securities, maritime, trusts and related support services.

The firm has seven partners and three associates and roughly 35 support personnel comprising competent secretarial, paralegal, accounting and clerical back-up staff. The firm has offices in Nassau and Abaco. Contact information can be found under the Contact section of this website.

The firm is the Bahamas member of Global law®, which is an international non-exclusive network of legal firms based in countries worldwide. The firm is accordingly able to maintain autonomy, which is crucial working in offshore financial service sectors, yet able to obtain expedited and preferential access to information from all corners of the globe.

Alexiou, Knowles & Co. uses integrated client management software, including PCLaw and Worldox, to assist in supporting our clients. As a result, AKC attorneys have “real-time” access to all pertinent client information. AKC strives to provide the highest level of service and customer satisfaction for our clients.

Firm History

AKC began in the early 1970s. The firm underwent several evolutions in the following years and in 1976 the late Emerick Knowles, QC, joined Emanuel M. Alexiou in the partnership, followed shortly thereafter by E. Terry North.

Over the decades, the firm has grown and evolved with the changing times, and has become an established contender in the modern legal landscape.

In 2010, Emerick Knowles passed away unexpectedly while competing in a cycling race to raise funds for cancer research. As one of the early members of the firm, and a brilliant litigator, he was instrumental in placing the firm on the map. He has left an enduring legacy on which we continue to build.

History of Hill Crest

AKC is located in a historic building at the top of the Frederick Street Steps on East Hill Street, overlooking Nassau Harbour. The house, originally called “Hill Crest”, was the home of the Moseley family. It was built in 1840 by Edwin Charles Moseley, who founded The Nassau Guardian newspaper in 1844. The picture below shows the home (middle building just to the left of the slope) before the Frederick Street Steps were built.

The house was built into the ridge where East Hill Street is now. It was constructed out of blocks cut from the limestone rock which were excavated at the site.

Mr. Moseley came to the Bahamas from England in 1837. It was at Hill Crest that the Nassau Guardian was produced and printed for many years. Mr. Moseley’s son Alfred Moseley assumed responsibility for the newspaper in 1887, and his daughter, Mary Moseley followed suit, acting as editor of the newspaper from 1904 until 1952. After the death of Mrs. Valeria Moseley, Alfred’s wife, the East Hill Street home was sold to Mr. Glen Stewart, a prominent winter visitor. Mr. Stewart had the house completely renovated, most noticeably removing the old wooden verandahs.

AKC has been at Hill Crest since the firm began. This may not have been a typical choice for a law firm, as the building was built as a residence complete with fireplaces, ensuite bathrooms and wood floors throughout. However, with some adjustments, it has become a comfortable office space, and the building’s character and charm are now an integral part of the firm’s personality.

In 2003, to accommodate the growth of the firm, AKC constructed a new building on the property. Great care was taken during this renovation to preserve the integrity of the old home both structurally, and aesthetically. The end result is that the new building sits unobtrusively along the length of the eastern boundary of the property, separate from the old residence and the historic character of the property has remained remarkably intact.

In an interesting twist of fate, Mr. Alexiou and one of his business partners purchased The Nassau Guardian, making it once again a Bahamian owned newspaper and bringing the ownership full circle back to the Moseley house where the newspaper was originally printed in what is now our conference room.

 

Rodger Outten

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Rodger Outten is the Founding Principal and IP Chair of OuttenIP’s Trade Mark Practice. Rodger serves as lead counsel in the firm’s Copyright, Trade Mark and Patent Litigation Practices she has knowledgeable experience in intellectual property matters and provides strategic counsel to both domestic and international clients. Rodger has expertise in the strategic implementation of intellectual property protections, brand management and enforcement procedures.

Rodger advises clients on a spectrum of intellectual property issues including strategic protection, transfer, commercialization and enforcement of intellectual property related rights.  She has significant transactional expertise including advising clients on acquisitions and mergers, negotiating intellectual property related contracts and advising on all aspects of franchising matters.  She also has formidable experience in the arenas of providing assurance and business advisory services to Fortune 500 Companies and her audit and risk management experience serves to fortify her astute disciplines in due diligence and structured financing ventures.

Bar Admissions:

  • The Bar of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
  • The Bar of England & Wales

Education:

  • B.A. (The College of Saint Benedict), St. Joseph, MN, USA.
  • LL.B (Hons.) (University of Buckingham), Buckingham, England.
  • College of Law, London, England, UK.

Memberships:

  • The Bahamas Bar Association
  • The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Bahamas Branch (CIArb)
  • The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple
  • The International Bar Association (IBA)
  • The Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (ITMA)

Professional and Community Development

  • Performs pro bono work for select artists and artisans.

Languages:

  • English
  • French
  • Spanish (Intermediate)

Firm Description:

At OuttenIP Counsel & Attorneys-at-Law, we are our namesake, intellectual property law is not just an area of practice, it is our focal practice; and we are innovatively passionate about what we do. As a leading provider of intellectual property services in The Bahamas, we have counseled numerous international and local clientele on an array of intellectual property protections.

We are a boutique intellectual property law firm with sound expertise.  With an undeterred dedication to legal excellence and a strategic approach to advancing our clients’ goals; we have set the standard for intellectual property expertise and technical execution and we have become one of the top intellectual property law firms in the region.  Working with a diverse group of client structures ranging from individual inventors, to SME’s and ultimately conglomerates, our specialists provide guidance on the effective use of intellectual property rights and thereby furnish our clients’ inventions, brands and technologies with the best protections and strategies available.

We have defined ourselves by our clients’ success and positioned ourselves to expertly handle cutting edge issues effecting intellectual property right holders. We have diverse expertise in numerous aspects of intellectual property rights including, but not limited to, copyrights, domain names, industrial designs, patents and trade marks.  At OuttenIP, you’ll find customized intellectual property legal solutions tailored to your every creative endeavor.

 

Margaret Gonsalves-Sabola

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Margaret Gonsalves-Sabola is a civil and commercial litigation attorney and an accredited civil and commercial mediator. Margaret has over 21 years’ experience in legal practice in the United Kingdom, Jamaica and The Bahamas.

Margaret has been involved in a wide range of civil and commercial matters including contractual disputes, personal injury claims, employment claims, pension litigation, shareholder disputes, professional liability claims, banking disputes, insurance litigation, liquidations and receiverships, trust claims, judicial review applications constitutional claims, competition law and licensing  matters. She has appeared in large commercial matters before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council.  Margaret has advised individuals, international banking clients, insurance companies and local businesses including a local telecommunications provider. She is one of the founding members and the Chairman of the Bahamas Association of Mediators.

Education

– LL.B. (Hons),  University of Wolverhampton, 1993

– Barrister, Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn, London, 1994

– LL.M. (Business Law),  University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 1996

– LEC, Council of Legal Eductaion, Norman Manley Law School, Jamaica, 1996.

Bar Admissions

– England & Wales

– Jamaica

– Antigua & Barbuda

– The Bahamas

Other Certification

– Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator, London School of Mediation, 2012

– Advanced Certificate in Trust Disputes, Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners, 2012

Training Workshops

– Lex Mundi Institute, Cross-Border Transactions, Monterey, California, 2004

– ADR Workshop, Faculty of Law, University of Windsor, Nassau, 2006

– EU Competition Law Summer School, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 2010

Publications

Contributor on Bahamian insolvency law and directors’ duties to:

– Multi National Entreprise Liability in Insolvency Proceedings, European Lawyer Reference Series, 1st ed., 2006

– Multi National Entreprise Liability in Insolvency Proceedings, European Lawyer Reference Series, 2nd ed., 2010

– International Insolvency, European Lawyer Reference Series, 3rd ed., 2012

– International Insolvency, Thomson Reuters, 4th ed., 2015

– Enforcing a Foreign Judgment, Lawyer Monthly Magazine, December 2012

Professional Memberships

– Bahamas Bar Association

– Bahamas Association of Mediators

– Bahamas Chamber of Commerce & Employers Confederation

– Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners

 

Llewellyn V. Boyer-Cartwright

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Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright joined the firm as a Senior Associate in 2010. A former commercial airline pilot who combined a passion for flying with advanced legal training including a Master’s degree in Aviation Science, he specializes in Aviation Law (aircraft financing, registration and licensing), Property Law involving private residential and commercial acquisitions and Estate Planning and Administration. Mr. Boyer-Cartwright has acted on behalf of numerous high-net-worth private clients in respect of their acquisition of private residences and commercial properties and has been involved in negotiations with The Bahamas Government relating to project proposals and concessions under the Hotels Encouragement Act, The Nassau Revitalization Act and the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Act.

 

Mr. Boyer-Cartwright was educated in the United Kingdom and the United States and holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB. (Hons)) from The University of Buckingham and a Masters in Aviation Science (MSc.) (including Aviation Safety and Airport Planning & Design) from Everglades University. In 1994 Mr. Boyer-Cartwright was admitted into the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, London, England (England & Wales) and The Bahamas Bar. He is a member of Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association, The Bahamas Bar Association’s Real Estate Section, and was a finalist in the Bahamas Financial Services Board awards 2012.